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The attitude of this statue has some similarity to that of the Venus of Arles, and the manner in which the drapery is thrown offers some resemblance: it is also very graceful, and can be placed among the antique statues of the first order.

It is composed of two blocks, the joining of which is entirely hidden in the drapery. The marble forming the body is of a different colour to that of the drapery: this produces a very fine effect, which must not be considered as an accidental circumstance, but as a refinement on the part of the statuary. who has coloured this part. This singularity caused the figure, at the time of its removal, to be looked upon as the fragments of two different statues.

The polish of the marble is perfectly preserved, but it must be mentioned, that the hole of the left warm, the right hand, and the tip of the nose, are modern restorations.

This statue was found, in 1776, at Ostia, in the baths of the Emperor Claudius. It was sent to England by Gavin Hamilton. Height, 6 feet 4 inches.

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ÉCOLE ITALIENNE. 0000000000 RAPHAEL. 0000000000000000 VATICAN.

BATAILLE DE CONSTANTIN.

L'empereur Constantin, ayant embrassé la religion chrétienne, poursuivait toujours l'armée païenne, qui lui était opposée; il avait déja passé les Alpes, forcé la ville de Suze, traversé celles de Turin, de Brescia et de Vérone; il s'approchait de Rome lorsque, le 28 octobre 312, Maxence vint à sa rencontre, et engagea une nouvelle bataille qu'il perdit encore.

Constantin est à cheval au milieu de la mêlée, sur les bords du Tibre. Maxence est déja tombé dans le fleuve, et s'il parvenait à remonter sur le rivage, il serait bientôt atteint par le javelot dont l'empereur le menace.

En transportant dans cette belle et grande composition le goût qu'on admire dans les bas-reliefs antiques de l'arc de Constantin et de la colonne Trajane, Raphaël n'en a pas moins le mérite entier de l'invention, mais la mort l'ayant surpris au milieu de son travail, c'est Jules Romain, son élève, qui fut chargé de peindre cette fresque. La couleur a peut-être un peu de crudité et les ombres quelque chose de trop noir; cependant Poussin, en l'admirant, disait à Bellori que cette peinture lui plaisait, et lui paraissait d'accord avec le caractère d'une si fière mêlée.

Cette fresque est en face des fenêtres dans la première des chambres du Vatican. Elle a été gravée en quatre feuilles par Aquila.

Larg., 35 pieds; haut., 15 pieds.

ITALIAN SCHOOL. vocooooore RAFFAELLE 00000000000000000. VATICAN.

THE BATTLE OF CONSTANTINE.

The Emperor Constantine having embraced the christian religion, continued pursuing the pagan army that was inimical to him : he had already crossed the Alps, forced the town of Suza, and gone through those of Turin, Brescia, and Verona. He was approaching Rome, when, October 28, 312, Maxentius came to oppose him, and engaged in another battle, which he again lost.

Constantine appears in the conflict on horseback, near the banks of the Tiber. Maxentius has already fallen into the river, and should he succeed in getting on shore, he would soon be reached by the javelin with which the emperor threatens him.

By introducing in this beautiful and grand composition the taste, that is admired in the antique Bassi-Relievi of the arch of Constantine and in the column of Trajan, Raffaelle has not the less, the entire merit of invention: but death having snatched him off, in the midst of his labours, it was Giulio Romano, his pupil, who was chosen to paint this fresco. The colouring is perhaps rather dry, and the shading somewhat too dark : yet Poussin admired it, and used to say to Bellori, that this picture pleased him, and that it appeared in unison with the character of so terrible a contest.

This fresco is opposite to the windows, in the first chamber of the Vatican. It has been engraved on four plates by Aquila.

Width, 37 feet 2 inches; height, 15 feet 11 inches.

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